Validating a Model of Psychological Capital in Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers

Abstract

Background:Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a prominent, well-established model of psychosocial strengths in the organizational positive psychology literature. PsyCap is a higher order construct consisting of hope, optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy that has been identified as a powerful predictor of work-related outcomes, with strong potential for application in vocational rehabilitation (VR). However, PysCap has not yet been validated for individuals with disabilities in rehabilitation settings.Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the relevance of PsyCap for individuals with disabilities in VR.Methods:Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to validate the structural model of PsyCap in a sample of adults with disabilities who have received public VR services (N= 229).Findings:VR client data supported the hypothesized factor structure of PsyCap. In an initial exploration of the relationship between PsyCap and employment status, individuals who reported employment had a higher mean PsyCap score than those reporting unemployment.Conclusions:These results highlight the potential utility of PsyCap for VR consumers. Additional research is needed to explore this construct as it pertains to VR services.